Coin operated device with percussion actuated timer



Sept. 11, 1962 H. GREENWALD 3,053,946

COIN OPERATED DEVICE WITH PERCUSSION ACTUATED TIMER Filed May 10, 1960 X Av:

g2 ZZA INVENTOR. Harry Greenwaid ATTORNEY 3,53,94fi Patented Sept. 11, 1962 sees, as

CUIN QPERAT' This invention rel-ates in general to a coin operated device and more specifically to an improvement in a cycle initiating and timing unit and timer therefor.

An object of this invention is to provide in a coin operated device an improved percussion actuated, timing mechanism that is relatively simple in construction and positive in operation.

Another object is to provide the timer mechanism of a coin operated device with a timer shaft or plunger that is reciprocally mounted for initiating the operating cycle upon receiving an impact or percussion blow upon the deposit of a coin to energize electrical contacts for commencing the operation cycle, and thereafter rotatable about its axis for timing the duration of a particular operating cycle.

Another object its to provide on the face of the timer mechanism a cam means and on the rotating timer shaft a co-operating pin follower connected normal thereto so that engagement of the pin follower with the cam effects the termination of the operating cycle by positively urging the timer shaft to its initial inoperative position.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation side View having parts broken away.

FIG. 2 is a detail view illustrating the improvements in the timer mechanism in accordance with this invention.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, respectively, illustrate the position of the plunger and connected pin follower at various positions or time intervals with respect to the warming means.

FIG. 1 illustrates the general arrangement of a coin operated device 10, in accordance with this invention, which is specifically adapted for initiating and timing the operating cycle of an automatic coin operated machine, such as a Washing machine or the like. In the illustrated embodiment the device it comprises a housing having a top 11, bottom 12, front 13, back 14, and connecting side walls and 16. A coin bar or slide 17 is mounted in the front wall 13 for movement in and out of the housing. The forward portion of the coin slide 117 is provided with the usual recess for receiving the coin and the inner end of the slide is provided with a laterally extending projection 18. A partition 19 extending transversely of the housing divides the housing into a coin receptacle 20 in the forward end thereof and a rear compartment 21 in which the timer assembly 22 is located.

Intermediate the partition 19 and the rear wall 14 of the housing there is connected to the side wall 15 an angle bracket 23 having one leg 23A connected flush against the inner surface of the side wall 15 and has its other leg 23B extending normal thereto. Between leg 23B of the bracket 23 and the rear wall 14, there is located the timer assembly 22 which contains the electrical circuit which sequentially controls the operation of a given cycle, as

for example a complete clothes washing cycle. Included in this cycle, which does not form any part of this invention, are a pair of normally open contacts 24 and 25 which must be closed before the circuit (not shown) is energized to start the cycle.

In accordance with this invention one of the contacts may be either located on the end of a timer shaft or plunger 26 which extends through the front face 22A of the timer 22 and through an opening 27 in leg 23B of the bracket, or positioned immediately to the rear of the plunger. The plunger 26 is mounted for movement in and out of the timer unit 22 for making and breaking the circuit by either opening or closing the contacts 24, 25 accordingly. In the illustrated form of the invention the contacts are shown as normally open contacts which are adapted to be closed by a percussion or impact blow imparted to the plunger upon the deposit of a coin.

In accordance with this invention a hammer means is provided to actuate the timer shaft or plunger 26. As shown leg 23B of the bracket has connected thereon, in substantially vertical alignment with plunger 26, a forwardly extending brace 27 to which a hammer plate 23 is pivotally connected at 29. Also pivoted about pivot 29 is a striker 30 which forms an extension of the hammer plate 28. The arrangement of the striker 3t] and hammer plate 28 is such that when the coin slide 17 is pushed into the housing to deposit a coin, the lateral extension ]18 of the slide 17 will engage the striker Sil and rock it in the direction of arrow 31. The striker 30 is provided with a reversely bent tab 30A which is in contact with the hammer plate 28, thus causing the hammer plate to be cocked in the direction of arrow 32. As the coin slide 17 reaches the end of its travel, the lateral projection 18 thereof is carnmed beyond the rotated striker 28, whereupon spring 33 returns the hammer plate 28 and striker St) to their original position. In doing so the hammer 28 will impart a percussion blow or impact to the plunger 26 causing the latter to be moved inwardly of the timer 22 to close the contacts 24, 25 and thereby actuate or enrgize the circuit to start the operating cycle. It is to be observed that the hammer plate 28 is normal- 1y slightly spaced from the end of the plunger 26 so that edge 28A of the hammer plate 28 will not rest on the end of the plunger; initial impact being had by the slight overdrive which the hammer plate 23 will inherently have upon release thereof from the cocked position.

Upon impact the plunger is subjected to a movement of approximately V to which is sufficient to close the circuit contacts 24, 25. The plunger shaft 26 upon actuation of the cycle on closing the contacts 24, 25 is arranged to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIGS. 3 to 5.

Upon actuation of the circuit on the closing of the contacts 24, 25 the coin slide is returned to its normal extended position, as shown. The Striker 30 being separately pivoted is cammed to the right as viewed in FIG. 1 upon the return of the coin slide. This facilitates the passing of the slides lateral projection 18 thereover in returning to normal inoperative position. A wire spring 34 assures repositioning of the striker 30 upon the passage of the slide 17 thereover.

In accordance with this invention, the plunger 26 has connected thereto a follower pin 35 which extends normal thereto and parallel to face 22A of the timer. The pin is spaced slightly forward of the face 22A an amount suflicient to permit the movement necessary for the plunger 26 to close contacts 24, 25.

As the plunger rotates upon initiation of the cycle, it will be noted that the pin follower 35 will rotate therewith as indicated in FIGS. 3 to 5 with the timing of the cycle being had by the angular velocity of the plunger 26.

In accordance with this invention means in the form of an inclined surface or cam 36 is connected to face 22A of the timer adjacent the plunger 26, and it is in position to engage the pin follower 35 as it is rotated thereby. With this arrangement the cam 36 provides a positive means for opening the contacts 24, 2.5 and thereby causing the cycle to stop. It will be observed that as the pin 35 rides up the inclined cam 36, the plunger 26 is pushed or forced outward of the timer, and thereby opens the contacts 24, which causes the circuit to be de-energized and the cycle to stop.

Completing the coin operated assembly is a guide plate 37 which has a laterally offset bifurcated portion 37A to guide the slide 17 in moving in and out of the housing. Connected to leg 23B is a horizontally disposed bifurcated guide plate 38 which is positioned so that the hammer plate 28 is guided between the bifurcation thereof.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that actuation of the timer is had by simply a sliding movement of the coin slide 17 for actuating the hammer means which effects an impact on the timer shaft 26 to commence the cycle, and stopping of the cycle is positively and automatically attained by a co-operating cam 36 and a pin follower which is connected to the timer shaft for urging the latter outward of the timer 22 to cause contacts 24, 25 to open.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes there is illustrated and described herein the best form and mode of operation of the invention now known to the inventor, those skilled in the art will understand that changes may be made in the form of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention covered by the claims, and that certain features of the invention may sometimes be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

What is claimed is:

1. For use in a coin operated device, a cycle initiating and timing unit comprising a housing, a coin slide movably mounted in said housing, a percussion actuated timer positioned in said housing to control the duration of a predetermined operating cycle, said timer including cooperating contacts for starting and stopping the cycle, and

a plunger for actuating said contacts for starting and stopping said cycle, hammer means actuated by said coin slide to operate on said plunger to energize said contacts to start said cycle, and means independent of said coin slide and hammer means for positively and automatically actuating said plunger to de-energize said contacts to stop said cycle.

2. For use in a coin operated device, a cycle initiating and timing unit comprising a housing, a coin slide movably mounted in said housing, a percussion actuated timer positioned in said housing to control the duration of a predetermined operating cycle, said timer including cooperating contacts for starting and stopping the cycle, and a plunger movable in and out of said timer for energizing and de-energizing said contacts for either starting or stopping said cycle, hammer means actuated by said coin slide to operate on said plunger to energize said contacts to start said cycle, said hammer means including a hammer plate pivotally mounted within said housing, a striker pivotally mounted to said hammer plate, spring means normally urging said striker and hammer plate in vertical alignment, said coin slide being arranged to engage said striker for automatically cocking said hammer plate so that upon the release thereof an impact blow is imparted to said plunger for moving said plunger inwardly of said timer to energize said contacts, and means for actuating said plunger to de-energize said contacts to stop said cycle.

3. For use in a coin operated device, a cycle initiating and timing unit comprising a housing, a coin slide movably mounted in said housing, a percussion actuated timer positioned in said housing to control the duration of a predetermined operating cycle, said timer including cooperative contacts for starting and stopping the cycle and a plunger movable in and out of said timer for energizing and de-energizing said contacts for either starting or stopping said cycle, said plunger being arranged to rotate about its axis when said contacts are energized for timing the duration of said cycle, means actuated by said coin slide to operate on said plunger to energize said contacts to start said cycle, and means for actuating said plunger to de-energize said contacts to stop said cycle, said latter means including a cam positioned on the face of said timer adjacent said plunger, and a follower pin connected to said plunger for engaging said cam as said pin is rotated past said cam for positively urging said plunger out of said timer to de-energize said contacts and thereby stopping said cycle.

4. For use in a coin operated device, a cycle initiating and timing unit comprising a housing, a coin slide movably mounted in said housing, a percussion actuated timer having a face plate positioned in said housing, said timer controlling the duration of a predetermined cycle and includes co-operating contacts for starting and stopping said cycle, said contacts being normally open when said cycle is inoperative and closed when said cycle is rendered operative, a plunger mounted in the face plate of said timer for movement in and out thereof to open and close said contacts, said plunger being arranged to rotate about its axis when said contacts are closed for timing said cycle, hammer means positioned in alignment with said plunger and actuated by said coin slide to provide an impact blow on said plunger to move the latter inwardly of said timer face plate to close said contacts for initiating the operating cycle, a cam connected to said face plate, a pin follower connected to said plunger, said pin follower being closely spaced to the face plate of said timer whereby said pin is arranged for engaging said cam as said pin is rotated past said cam as the cycle is nearing its end so that said cam urges said pin and connected plunger away from said face plate to open said contacts to stop said cycle.

5. For use in a coin operated device, a cycle initiating and timing unit comprising a housing, a coin slide movably mounted in said housing, said slide having a laterally extending offset portion, a percussion actuated timer having a face plate positioned in said housing and disposed normal to said slide, said timer controlling the duration of a predetermined cycle and it includes co-operating contacts for starting and stopping said cycle, said contacts being normally open when said cycle is inoperative and closed when said cycle is rendered operative, a plunger mounted in the face plate of said timer for movement in and out thereof to open and close said contacts, said plunger being arranged to rotate about its axis when said contacts are closed for timing said cycle, hammer means, said hammer means including a hammer plate pivotally mounted within said housing, a striker pivotally mounted to said hammer plate and arranged to pivot relative thereto, spring means normally exerting a bias on said striker to resist relative movement therebetween, the offset portion of said slide being arranged to cam said striker to cock said hammer plate whereby said hammer plate is automatically released as said slide is cammed over said striker so that said hammer plate imparts an impact on said plunger to move the latter inwardly of said timer face plate to close said contacts for initiating operation of the cycle and rotation of said plunger about its axis, a cam connected to said face plate of said timer, a follower pin connected to said plunger, said pin follower being closely spaced to the face plate of said timer for engaging said cam as said pin is rotated past said cam as the cycle is nearing its end so that said cam urges said pin and connected plunger away from said face plate to open said contact to stop said cycle.

6. A timer for controlling the cycle of a coin operated device comprising a housing having a face plate, an actuating plunger extending through the front plate of said housing and mounted for movement in and out of said housing, contacts actuated by said plunger for energizing an electric circuit when said plunger is moved into said housing, said plunger being arranged to rotate about its aXis when the contacts are actuated, a cam positioned on the face of said timer adjacent the plunger, and a 01- lower pin connected to said plunger for engaging said cam as said pin is rotated thereby for positively urging said plunger out of said timer to de-energize said contacts to stop the cycle.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Radtke et a1. Aug. 2, 1938 Landgraf et a1 Dec. 20, 1949 Edington Mar. 18, 1952 Hills et al. June 10, 1958 Greenwald Dec. 1, 1959 

